Virgil van Dijk shows up Maresca & Donnarumma over Man City cheating scandal

Virgil van Dijk has refused to comment on the ongoing case against Manchester City.

The Dutch international told reporters that it would be ‘smart’ to avoid commenting on the issue, but did admit he has an opinion he’d be potentially prepared to share following the outcome of an appeal against the independent commission’s guilty verdict.

Virgil van Dijk is an example Man City figures should follow

There is a pretty significant difference between opting to keep quiet on matters concerning the Premier League’s legal case against the Sky Blues and making it publicly clear that you stand in full support of City.

Yet from Enzo Maresca to Gianluigi Donnarumma, we’ve seen clear signals from those attached to the club that an opinion has already been formed.

The Italian head coach, for instance, went as far as suggesting that City’s current success had been built on perfectly legal foundations. Meanwhile, following the Reds’ 3-0 defeat to the table-toppers, Donnarumma took issue with a section of Liverpool fans branding him a cheat as he walked down the tunnel.

In either case, both individuals would surely have been better served following Van Dijk’s example and keeping schtum until the latest verdict arrives post-appeal.

City give the impression they can get away with everything

If City’s travelling fan contingent was anything to go by, it seems all associated with City are of the mind that they’re untouchable – even in the face of countless charges of financial misconduct and, ultimately, yes, cheating.

To be completely fair, we can understand why this uncomfortable reality is difficult to come to terms with. We can understand why fans would choose to believe what they’ve been told by the higher-ups. Why go gently into that good night when the potential punishments range from point deductions and the stripping of titles all the way down to banishment to the very fringes of English football?

But, again, there is a significant difference between quietly refuting the charges and sneering at the very fans and clubs who have been robbed of cherished moments as a direct result of Manchester City’s illicit behaviour.

If Virgil van Dijk, a figurehead at Liverpool who, next to the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Co, is among those to have suffered most at the hands of City’s financial doping, can keep his mouth shut – why can’t anyone associated with City?